More hydrogen stations coming soon, thanks to co-funding from the California Energy Commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program. In November, CEC released its Notice of Proposed Awards that identifies the Transportation Committee’s support for co-funding 11 new, expanded or upgraded stations. This month, the funding for three of the stations—San Francisco, Laguna Niguel and West Sacramento—was released for contracting.

CEC is building upon the funding and work in the California Hydrogen Highway Network. The CEC solicitation included several first-time points to ensure public access, longevity and faster station planning and construction, including:

• Using a sliding-scale incentive mechanism for match funding to help to decrease station cost. Lower-cost stations were eligible for a greater percentage of co-funding. 
• Using incentives to fast-track stations to reduce implementation time to less than 18 months
• Promoting the use of renewable hydrogen by incentive to exceed the 33% renewable requirement in SB1505.
• Calling for stations to have public access and "retail-like" design and appearance
• Requiring each station to be backed with detailed, location-specific vehicle deployment commitments from multiple automakers. (Previously, stations required commitment from just one automaker.)
• Strengthening the existing network by co-funding new stations and expanding existing public stations. In addition, the solicitation allowed “mixed-use” stations that provide fuel to passenger and heavy-duty vehicles.
• Requiring a minimum of 100 kg/day fuel capacity to ensure ample current and future supply
• Requiring a business plan and detailed plans for station operation beyond the initial funding years to ensure the station does not close.

In addition to the solicitation awards, CEC provided the California Division of Measurement Standards with funding to work on the codes, standards and tests that will allow hydrogen to be sold as a retail fuel.

To see the other stations that are proposed to receive CEC co-funding, please visit. http://www.energy.ca.gov/contracts/PON-09-608_Revised_NOPA.pdf